~~~

Anneyeong!

As promised, here is my Sunday update!

Thank you so much for being patient. 

Thank you for all your comments and suggestions!

Hugs and kisses!

=)

                                                                                                                                      Your author-nim,

                                                                                                                                      Pepperflakes

~~~

CHAPTER FIVE

ALAS! EVERYBODY KNEW

Can you hear the wedding bells ringing?

After an explosive break-up with his long-term girlfriend, Seoul’s top young architect has finally popped the question to no other than Seoul's most sought after heiress!

                                                                                                                                                                                                Reported by

                                                                                                                                                                                                   Gossip King Jo Kwon

Mrs. Choi: Omo! Minho! What is the meaning of this!

Minho’s mother placed the society pages of the daily newspaper on top of their breakfast table. Jo Kwon’s gossip column is finally published. Alas! Everybody knew.

Mrs. Choi: What does this mean? Is this Choi Sulli? The daughter of the late Choi Joo Young of the Choi Group of Companies?

Minho: Ne umma. Please let me explain.

Mrs. Choi: Ara. Tell me what is going on young man!

Minho: I am merely helping her. It is sort of a business bargain.

Mrs. Choi: Bargain?! You are going to get married because of a bargain? Aigoo! You are going to give a heart attack!

Minho: Sulli’s  grandmother made a condition in her will before she died. She said that Sulli would not get her inheritance if she would not get married within one year after her grandmother’s death or earlier.

Mrs. Choi: Chincha? Her grandmother did that?

Minho’s umma thought for a moment. She and Sulli’s grandmother had met in several occasions. She was such a dear old lady. She could not believe that she would do a thing like that to her own granddaughter.

Mrs. Choi: I’ve met her grandmother several times before. She was a good person. I could not believe that she included provisions like that in her will. But come to think of it, she was really eager to get her two granddaughters married off. Her oldest granddaughter is married to a doctor.

Minho: Ne. Her name is Choi Sooyoung and she married Dr. Choi SiWon a year ago.

Mrs. Choi: Mmm. Yes. I remember meeting them at the auction. Such a perfect couple! *Smiles* Araseo. I can fully understand why Sulli was desperate to get married. Her inheritance must be worth millions!

Minho suddenly felt the urge to defend Sulli to his umma.

Minho: Actually, it is not about the money.

Mrs. Choi: Mwo? What is it about then?

Minho: She is planning to set up her own art gallery and the building where she intends to build it in is included in the provisions of the will.

Mrs. Choi: Omo! She’s an art collector too just like her grandmother?

Minho: She is more than an art collector umma. She is the junior art director at the Seoul Arts Gallery.

Mrs. Choi: Daebak! I’ve always wanted to have a daughter-in-law who is very interested in art! Not to mention, she is very pretty.

Minho thought that his umma’s interrogation was over, but he was wrong.

Mrs. Choi: Araseo. I can understand why Sulli is very desperate to get married. How about you? What will you get from this bargain? Hmm?

Minho could not reply. He could not possibly tell his mother that the reason why he proposed the deal was because of his desire to get even with Krystal. Before Minho could reply, his umma’s phone rang.

*Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!*

Mrs. Choi: Omo! Your appa is calling. He must have heard the news.

Minho’s umma stood from her chair and answered the call as she walked towards the porch.

He sighed.

He was thankful that his appa called to interrupt his mother’s interrogation. Minho did not want to tell his umma the truth as to why he proposed the bargain. He did not expect that the heavens would immediately send someone to help him bring his plans into action. But since Sulli was there, and they are both in desperate situations; not to mention they were caught be Jo Kwon and his band of paparazzis in an "embrace", he and Sulli might as well push through with the plan.

Sulli was still asleep when she heard a woman barge into her room.

Sooyoung: Choi Sulli! Is this true?! Look at this newspaper! Is this true that you are getting married to this architect?

Sulli: Hmmm? *Yawns* Ne.

Sooyoung: Are you crazy? He is a complete stranger! How can you fall for him so easily?!

Sulli was stunned.

Sulli: “Fall for him”? Ani! You’re getting it all wrong! It’s just a bargain. He wanted to get back at his ex-girlfriend, and I wanted to get my inheritance. This is far from love unni.

Sooyoung: You are crazier than I thought! How could you do this? Marrying a complete stranger?! You could have married some friend from college or high school.

Sull: Unni, you said time is running out. I can’t possibly contact all of my guy friends in high school and college! Besides, almost all of them are already married. He is the only one whom I got a decent proposal from.

Sooyoung: You call a bargain a decent proposal?!

Sulli: Ne. It is decent. It does not involve any feelings, most especially love. Therefore it is decent.

Sooyoung: Sulli yah, how are you sure that you won’t fall for him or that he won’t fall for you?

Sulli: That’s simple. He is not my type; and I am not his type. *smiles*

Sooyoung: Aigoo!

Sulli: Unni, please trust me on this. I can’t simply let go of the art gallery building.

Sooyoung sighed.

Sooyoung: Araseo. Just be careful.

Sulli: Araseo. Gomawo.

*Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!*

Sulli got her phone from the bedside table and read the text message.

To: Choi Sulli

From:  Blabbering Bachelor Minho

Have you read the papers? There is really noway for you to back out now. Give me your address. I need to speak to you.

Sulli: Pish! Is he resorting to black mail now? He is not even my husband yet and he is already bossy!

Sooyoung: Mwo? What did you say? You are talking so fast! I did not understand.

Sulli: Ah! Ani. I just got a text from Minho. He wanted to meet me. I guess he wants to discuss the terms of the contract. That means, you have to go now.

Sooyoung: So you’re kicking me out of your apartment just for a guy?!

They both laughed.

Sooyoung: But you haven’t told me all the details!

Sulli: I can tell you tonight. I will have dinner at your place remember?

Sooyoung: Omo! That’s right! Araseo! You can tell me everything tonight. It’s a good thing you reminded me. I have to go grocery shopping or else I won’t have anything to feed you.

Sulli chuckled.

Sulli: Araseo. Make some kimchi soup for me.

Sulli ushered her unni to the door of her apartment. Then she sent a message of her address to Minho.